SKIING/BIKING -- "For the first time ever, Silver Mountain Resort will be opening (this weekend) for skiing and biking at the same time!" the Kellogg-based managers say in a news release.

Yes, skiing and biking on Memorial Day Weekend -- and one day of lifts will be free.

"With plenty of snow at the top of the mountain, and 80 percent of the bike park trails cleared and in tip top shape, Silver will be loading skiers and bikers into the gondola -- North America's longest -- on Saturday and Sunday.

Dave Smith Motors is sponsoring all lift tickets on Saturday, so skiing, biking and scenic rides will be free. Biking and scenic gondola rides will be running Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The Silver Mountain Bike Park, which is highly ranked in the Northwest, won't be fully open this weekend, but riders will still have 3,400 vertical feet of descent available. 

Skiing and snowboarding will be open in the Chair 2 Basin.  Live music is planned at the mountain house with Sammy Eubanks playing on Saturday afternoon and 10x10 playing on Sunday afternoon.

Free lift tickets available Saturday only. Discounted lift tickets are available, and the same lift ticket is good for skiing/snowboarding and biking.

"While a lot of our bike trails will be open, it will be limited to intermediate and expert terrain on the lower mountain, so chair 3 will not be running and all riders must do a full top to bottom lap.

Silver Mountain's event calendar has prices, schedules and other details.

The Trail Boss Update blog has more early season bike park information.